Lydia was not the only one watching the live stream. Stephen and Andrew caught it on TV too.Andrew had stumbled upon a photo of Madeline in Stephen's files just yesterday and recognized her instantly.As the broadcast spewed insults, Andrew's face turned to stone. "Stephen, find out what's happening now!"Stephen was concerned. Without needing to be told twice, he was already on the phone, seeking answers from back home.The report from home only stoked the flames of his anger—furious at Rocky's calculated moves against Yash, at Sadie's antics during the conference, and even more at Sadie for keeping him in the dark, leaving him no chance to intervene.The broadcast had been running for nearly ten hours, and there was no easy way to cut it short.Andrew's rage boiled over. "Rocky's crossed the line!"Stephen nodded, his resolve hardening. He dialed another number."Take those two fakes we've got and get them to Rocky's auction. Once it's done, let the world know they're nothin
Caleb quickly composed himself. He did not want to sidetrack Madeline."It looks like there's been a bit of a setback with her illness. Her recovery might not be keeping pace with the medication, causing these complications."Madeline's brow furrowed, her appetite gone. "What do we do now?"Caleb reassured her, "Don't worry. We've put a hold on your mom's meds for now. She didn't wake up today, but all her vital signs are stable."Madeline's heart, which had been fluttering like a trapped bird, finally began to calm."Caleb, I'm counting on you to take care of Mom for a bit."She had a whirlwind of tasks for the next two days.Caleb's smile was warm as he nodded. "I know you've got that live stream. Yeneth's heading over to keep an eye on your mom after work. You just focus on what you need to do."Madeline was at a loss for words to express her gratitude to her friends.Before he left, Caleb handed her a thermal flask. "No coffee for you, so I've got wheatgrass juice in here.
However, the cut never came.In the pitch-black room, the intruder's hand was gently stopped. Before he knew it, his scissors were wrested from his grip, and he was kicked to the side and restrained.Then, the lights flickered on.Madeline, Yash, and a few others filed in.Chandler gripped the knife with the blade facing backward and stepped up to the intruder for a closer look. "Talk. Who are you, and why are you trying to wreck this painting?"Madeline had already spotted the intruder when the lights came on. "He's one of Rocky's bodyguards. I caught a glimpse of him in the crowd on the first day."The man shot Madeline with a look of astonishment. He had only made a brief appearance that day, and yet Madeline had taken note of him.Yash snorted. "Just as I thought, it's connected to that punk. Take him away for now. We'll settle the score with Rocky later."Chandler nodded and signaled for the man to be escorted out.Yash turned to Madeline. "You've had a long day, and ther
Rocky's hand twitched at Madeline's words.The painting, once damaged, was not worth the sky-high price he had touted, but it was still worth 30 million dollars. He had been counting on clawing that sum back from Madeline, but she had actually fixed the thing.He was about to kiss goodbye to that 30 million dollars. Once Madeline got the painting, who knew what would happen? Its value could double after the repair.He could not stand the thought.Rocky managed to keep his smile from turning sour. "Naturally. You've done the job, so I'll stick to the deal.""However," he added, a new edge to his voice, "I have one condition."Madeline's smile faltered just a bit. "Mr. James, you never said anything about conditions before."The tension in the room was palpable as eyes narrowed with suspicion.Rocky quickly interjected, "Mrs. Gibson, there's been a misunderstanding. Here's the thing. The painting is yours now, but I was wondering if you're considering selling it once it's been r
Edith's laughter filled the room as the live stream came to an end. "See? What did I tell you? She pulled it off."Felicia, who had been watching intently, could not contain her excitement. "Your judgment is spot-on, as always. I've been a nervous wreck, barely able to catch a wink of sleep."She had grilled Ryan about the consequences. If things went south, Madeline would be on the hook for a whopping 75 million dollars.Riley would have a field day with Madeline if that happened.Felicia's worry had her losing her appetite, tossing and turning at night, even resorting to midnight prayers.Dabbing the tears from her eyes, Felicia said, "Madam Gibson, you stay here. I'm going to whip up a hearty soup for Mrs. Gibson. She's been at it for three days straight and looks like a ghost. She needs a good meal."With a dismissive wave, Edith turned her gaze to Riley, who seemed lost in thought. "Feeling better now?"Riley forced a smile, though it did not quite reach his eyes. "She just
Madeline was oblivious to the fact that her painting had already caught the greedy eyes of many.The restoration situation was a real headache.Deans and museum directors, along with their esteemed artists, were in a heated debate, their faces flushed with fervor. Yash, Dallas, and others were prodding them to just get on with the auction.The noise was unbearable.Madeline, rubbing her temples, finally grabbed Dallas's arm. "Enough, enough. Let's all just take a breath. I need to say something."At her voice, the room fell silent, all eyes on her.Madeline gestured to the painting resting to the side. "The artistic value of this piece is clear to everyone here. I'm lucky to have restored it, and there's no way I could ever keep it for myself."Rocky's eyes sparkled with anticipation.Madeline shot him a look and announced, "I've decided to donate the painting to the nation with no strings attached."Rocky's grin shattered like glass with a single sentence, leaving everyone el
Madeline finally settled into the car Chandler arranged for her and made her way to the Gibson family estate.Halfway there, her phone rang. It was Caleb."Madeline, everything okay?"He had planned to pick her up but got tied up. When he arrived at Redenbaugh University, he had learned Madeline was in some kind of trouble but did not have the details.Her face softened into a smile at the sound of his voice. "Caleb, I'm fine. I'm heading to the Gibson estate now. Grandma wants me home for dinner."Caleb's worry eased, replaced by a faint sadness. "Glad to hear it."Madeline hummed softly in response. "Thanks for checking in. Don't fret, I'll swing by the hospital after I eat.""Okay."They hung up.Madeline checked her phone for messages or calls—nothing from Trevon. He had been away on business for three days, radio silent. The memory of his distant expression before leaving lingered.Madeline could not quite pin down her feelings—just a profound weariness. She rested a
"The painting was really just handed over to you?"Confronted with a painting valued in the tens of millions, Riley lost all pretense of her usual poise, grabbing the soup bowl from Madeline's hands, her eagerness palpable.Edith's face darkened at once.Madeline seemed to be holding up fine, casually sipping her lemon water before nodding slightly. "Yeah. Mr. James came through and handed over the painting."Riley's face lit up with excitement.It was no surprise she was antsy. The stakes were high with 75 million dollars on the line.With Trevon recently tightening the purse strings, Riley had been feeling the pinch."I've got a buddy, a real art buff, who's snagged a bunch of masterpieces. He caught wind of the deal and just rang me up, said he's keen on buying. If you're out of leads, how about I introduce you to this guy? Don't sweat it. His pockets are as deep as the Gibsons', he'll pay top dollar."Edith had heard enough and cut in, "Who's this friend? If they're serious